Adjustable support



I April 16, 1946. F. DE LAURENTIIS' ETAL 2 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FiledApril 28, 1945 m 7 SIT 2 m? o 2 H m 2L A VMW E MW L F w 6 (I) 2/ 6 2 a YW 6 2 0 a B 2 9 k 2 2 .z n

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1946 i Y, ia',39's,413 ADJUSTABLE sorrow-r wPeter Ft DeLadreritis and-:Freder V New.York,. N .g.rY .l

Application April as, 1945;Serial- No.1590;8 702 i 3Claims. (Cl. 304. .5

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370O. G. 757) This invention relates to an adjustable frame support, andmore particularly to such a device of the class known as ahorse.

In many types of construction and experimental work it is frequentlydesirable to use a temporary support to retain objects in a desiredelevated position. For example, in experimental laboratories it is oftennecessary to support ventilation or heating ducts temporarily indifferent positions in order to determine their characteristics undervarying conditions of installation. It'is the present practice to use asupport of a non-adjustable nature commonly known as a horse and thispractice has proved both cumbersome and consuming of much time.According to this invention there is provided a means to support anobject such as for example a ventilating duct in a predetermined-andeasily variable position by means of an adjustable support which issimple in installation.

An object of this invention is to provide an adjustable support whichmay be quickly and accurately set to any desired position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of thischaracter in which the supporting member is movable to any desiredposition with respect to the framework surrounding said supportingmember.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of thischaracter having means to automatically lock the movable supportingmember in any desired position.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, as well as itsconstruction, arrangement and operation, will be apparent from thefollowing description and claims in connectionwith the accompanyingdrawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable supporting member andframework according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front view, partially in section, of the locking meansshown in Figure 1, disclosing a friction surface rigidly secured to saidlocking means and showing the coaction between said locking means andthe supporting member.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Figure 1 shows a support assemblygenerally designated 2| comprising a pair of vertical supports 22secured to a pair of feet 23 with additional supporting members 24connecting the lower section of members 22 with feet 23. A cross bar .25having the ends thereof fixedly secured to vertical members 22 isprovided as a stiffening element to retain the vertical members 22 in agiven spaced relationship to each other.

Slidably mounted on the vertical members 22 is a cross bar 26 having apair of slotted openings 26a cut therethrough, said openings. beingfound to snugly and slidably surround said vertical members 22 whencross bar 26 is mounted on surface of vertical supports 22.

In operation, cross bar 26 may be moved in an upward direction withrespect to supports 22 without interference from the eccentricallymounted wheels 28. As heretofore stated, springs 3| normally cause thecircumference of wheels 28 to contact supports 22. When cross member 26tends to move in a downward direction with re-.

spect to supports 22, however, as by action of the weight of a memberbeing supported by said cross bar, the pivotally and eccentricallymounted wheels 28 will be forced into closer contact with supports 22and thus the friction created by this wedging action will automaticallyretain cross bar 26 substantially in any given position to which it maybe raised. In order to lower the slidable cross bar 26, it is necessaryonly to raise the bar slightly and pull wheels 28 out of contact withmembers 22. 7

From the above description of construction and arrangement of theelements of this invention, it is clear that there is providedanadjustable support by which an object may be quickl and accuratelysupported in any desired position with respect to the framework thereof,and that the support will automatically retain the supported object inany position to which it may be set.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may bemade in this invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by Or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable support comprising a pair of support members rigidlsecured in a spaced relationship to each other, a foot support rigidlysecured to each of said support members, a cross bar slidably mounted onsaid support members, a pair of wheels pivotallyand eccentricaliysecured to said cross bar, said wheels allowing said cross bar to bemoved in one direction along said support members, and preventingmovement of said cross bar in the opposite direction along said supportmembers.

2. An adjustable support comprising a pair of support members having afoot rigidly secured to each member, a cross bar slidably mounted onsaid members, a pair of wheels pivotally and eccentrically mounted onsaid cross bar and having a friction surface secured to thecircumference thereof and a pair of springs havingvone end se-' cured tosaid cross bar and the opposite end secured to each of said wheels insuch manner as and eccentrically secured to said cross bar, and a pairof springs having one end thereof secured to said cross bar and theopposite end thereof secured to one of said wheels in such manner as tonormally cause said friction surface to physically contact said supportmembers.

PETER F. DE LAURENTIS. FREDERIC KERBER.

